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SSMR
makes no warranties about
any dog's temperament and
can only offer observations
made during the time that the dog
has been in foster care.
All rescued dogs
come with emotional baggage
of one kind or another.
Though all animals deserve
to be treated with courtesy
and respect at all times,
rescued dogs especially
deserve this because they
often have been through
traumatic experiences that
they will never be able to
tell us about.
Thank goodness English
Mastiffs usually have
wonderful and forgiving
natures! Many can be
wonderfully loving and
gentle with children.
However every dog is an
individual. Some may have
had frightening or cruel
experiences with children in
the past that we can never
know about.
If
you have young children and
are considering adding a
rescued dog to your home do
not do so unless you are
committed to supervising
your children AT ALL
TIMES with the dog, and
to teaching your children at
minimum, to observe the
following rules.
Teach your
children and any visiting
children
how to
respectfully approach and
behave around dogs so that
the dog will learn to love
and trust the child- not to
fear them. Teach your
children:
-
Never to
run at or towards a dog,
to make sudden movements
towards a dog, to shriek
at or squeal around a
dog.
-
Children should never be
allowed to reach over a
dog’s head or down over
them from up above. They
should also never
attempt to HUG a dog
they have not been
raised with and who
might not understand
their intentions.
-
All children should be
taught never to
pull the ears or tail or
a dog or to harass a dog
physically in any way
-
Instruct
children never to reach
their hands out towards
a dog who is backing up,
cowering, or trying to
get away from them and
NEVER to chase a dog or
run from a dog.
-
Teach children never to
jump on or play rough
with dogs in general.
NEVER leave your dog
unattended with your
children or a group of
children.
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